The invention relates to a lamp holder or socket assembly to receive an incandescent lamp bulb.
Already known in the prior art is a lamp holder designed to receive an incandescent lamp which includes within an outer sheath, guides of sheet metal which have both spring elements and curved tracks. (German Disclosure 2,628,127; and, German published applications 1,464,176 and 2,310,151). A disadvantage of such a holder is the considerable mounting and cost expense for the production and arrangement of the individual metal elements within the lamp holder.
Also known in the prior art is electroconductive plastic which has an electrically conductive component or content and which can be processed, for example, by injection molding or extrusion. (German Disclosures 3,409,953, 3,305,401, 3,245,589, and 3,238,246). These electroconductive plastics can be used as electrical connection bodies.
On the other hand, the present invention attacks the problem of designing a lamp holder of the kind mentioned, so that a simple, cost-saving structure is given and in which the cost of mounting is also kept low.
This problem is solved, according to this invention, by the features in the distinguishing part of claim 1. Since, according to the invention, both contact elements are comprised, in each case, of an electroconductive plastic material, and the holder has an outer sheath surrounding the contact elements with a wall defining an inner separation zone arranged inside the holder which functions to insulate the contact elements from each other, the cost-intensive and elaborate production of contact elements of metal is eliminated.
In one form of the invention, the outer sheath and the inner separation zone may comprise a one-piece unit. In this case, the contact elements are also designed sheath-like, and can be set into the spaces between the outer sheath and the inner separation zone, and into the inner space of the inner separation zone with a stop provided in this position. In this form, production may take place in a two-component injection molding process.
As an alternative, it is also possible for the outer sheath and the wall defining the inner separation zone to be designed as connection parts and thus to be made as two separate units. Here, the two contact parts may, to advantage, be designed substantially identical, in each case, with a half-shell and a clip fastening zone and a connection zone projecting out of the outer sheath. This construction gives a further economy since the two contact elements are of identical form and are insulated from each other through the connection part. This unit is then arranged within the outer sheath.